Cabinet okays help for flood victims

Masvingo Bureau
CABINET has resolved that all people affected by floods must receive assistance to help them pick up the pieces.

In an interview in Chivi following an assessment of damage caused by floods, the Minister of State for Liaising on Psychomotor Activities in Education, Cde Josaya Hungwe said last Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting agreed that flood victims should be assisted as a matter of urgency.

He said the Civil Protection Unit was tasked to be on high alert.

Scores of people have been rendered homeless, while others have lost their livestock and food due to floods.

A number of deaths have also been recorded due to the floods.

“Cabinet is seized with the issue of flood hit areas in Masvingo and other areas. We are fully aware that some families were displaced by floods in the wake of incessant rains. We always wanted the rains but now they are destroying people’s homes. Affected families will soon be assisted to rebuild their homes, provided with tents and food,” said Cde Hungwe.

He said Government was committed to assisting people affected by natural disasters.

The minister said Zimbabwe experienced the worst floods in 2014 when 3 000 families were affected by floods at Tokwe Mukosi flood basin.

“According to the number of reports we have received on incidents of floods so far, indications are that the situation is manageable. CPU teams are on the ground as we speak assessing the extent of damage caused by the floods so that they know the amount of aid needed,” he said.

“While the Meteorological Services Department had announced that we would receive heavy rains, we did not expect the same scenario we experienced during the Tokwe Mukosi floods in 2014. We had 3 000 families left homeless.”